Things to Remember

• There are times when the sale of a property is not conducted on the date advertised due to an adjournment, settlements or bankruptcy. It is recommended that you first call the Bergen County Sheriff's Office on the scheduled sale date to determine the status of the case.
• If you are interested in a particular piece of property, a title search is recommended before you actually bid. You may conduct a title search on your own at the County Clerk's office at no charge or you may employ a private firm to conduct a title search for you on a fee basis. Title search firms can be found by consulting the yellow pages of the telephone directory.
• If the property you purchase is occupied by tenants, it will be your responsibility to obtain a Writ of Possession.In some cases the property, even after the sale, can be redeemed by the original owner for the period of ten calendar days from the date of the sale. In certain instances, the period of redemption may be longer. If the redemption period is extended beyond ten days, an announcement to that effect will be made prior to the sale of the property.
• The successful bidder upon final payment of the bid will receive a Sheriff's Deed. However, this Deed doesn't give clear title to the property. To obtain a clear title, all outstanding liens and encumbrances must be satisfied. If a purchaser does not complete the sale, the purchaser can be held liable for the deposit. Deed recording fees must be paid by the purchaser to the County Clerk when the Deed is recorded.
• To expedite your inquiry on a specific piece of property, it is helpful to refer to the property by the Sheriff's Reference number which appears in the legal advertising.